September Business Bulletin 2014

Bulletin

Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of CommerceSeptember 2014

03 Viewpoint | 12 Cover Feature | 16 Policy | 30 Hot Topic | 32 On the Move

A taste for the city

usiness

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38317 - Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Business Bulletin September - Web Mart Ltd - 01_Sec01-4pp - Front - AGFA_XL105_CB_Middle - Black 38317 - Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Business Bulletin September - Web Mart Ltd - 01_Sec01-4pp - Front - AGFA_XL105_CB_Middle - Cyan 38317 - Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Business Bulletin September - Web Mart Ltd - 01_Sec01-4pp - Front - AGFA_XL105_CB_Middle - Magenta 38317 - Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Business Bulletin September - Web Mart Ltd - 01_Sec01-4pp - Front - AGFA_XL105_CB_Middle - Yellow

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2Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce

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38317 - Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Business Bulletin September - 01_Sec01-4pp - 26/08/2014 - 12:35:04 - Black 38317 - Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Business Bulletin September - 01_Sec01-4pp - 26/08/2014 - 12:35:04 - Cyan 38317 - Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Business Bulletin September - 01_Sec01-4pp - 26/08/2014 - 12:35:04 - Magenta 38317 - Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Business Bulletin September - 01_Sec01-4pp - 26/08/2014 - 12:35:04 - YellowBack 1

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NEW MEMBERS AT THE CHAMBERAir AdvantageShian Cottage Woodlands RoadBlairgowriePerthshirePH10 6LDt: 01250 873379w: www.airadvantage.co.uke: [email protected]: Mr Andrew Douglas Director

AMCA ArchitectsCastlecroft Business CentreTom Johnston RoadDundeeDD4 8XDt: 01382 774111w: www.amcaarchitect.co.uke: [email protected]: Sandy McAllister Director

Allied Surveyors Scotland PLCMarywell House29-31 Marywell StreetAberdeenAB11 6JEt: 01224 571163w: www.alliedsurveyorsscotland.come: [email protected]: Mr Gordon Macdonald Director

Apave Inspection UK Ltd Unit 4, Burnside Industrial CentreWellheads Road Farburn Industrial EstateDyceAberdeenAB21 7HGt: 01224 727980w: www.apave.come: [email protected]: Mr Kevin McGrath Managing Director

Children 1st36 Carden PlaceAberdeenAB10 1UPt: 01224 251150w: www.children1st.org.uke: [email protected]: Mrs Karen Moore

CSLS Security Services14 Park CircusGlasgowG3 6AXt: 01413 320552w: www.cslssecurity.co.uke: [email protected]: Mr John OMalley Managing Director

Davidson AccountingUnit 13, Tyseal BaseCraigshaw CrescentWest TullosAberdeenAB12 3AWt: 01224 877537w: www.davaccount.come: [email protected]: Mr Robert Davidson Accountant

Dominvs Group Ltd88 Baker StreetLondonW1U 6TQt: 020 7486 6074w: http://dominvsgroup.com/hospitality/e: [email protected]: Mr Dylan Burke Head of Investor Relations

Euroload LimitedUnit 9, Airside BusinessParkDyce Drive, Kirkhill Industrial EstateDyceAberdeenAB21 0GTt: 01224 774115w: www.euroload.eue: [email protected]: Mr Mark Jones Managing Director

ISG1 Buchanan GateCumbernauld RoadSteppsGlasgowG33 6FBt: 01414 470300w: www.isgplc.come: [email protected]: Ms Lynsey Brydson Business Development Manager

ITB Competence AssuranceThistle PlaceAberdeenAB10 1UZt: 01224 640170w: www.itbltd.co.uke: [email protected]: John Soutar Business Development Manager

John Crane UK LtdGrampian HouseMugiemoss RoadBucksburnAberdeenAB21 9NPt: 01224 773772w: www.smiths.com/john-crane.aspxe: [email protected]: Mr Rod Mackenzie UK Reliability Engineering Manager

KCC LtdUnit 1016-18 Pampisford RoadPurleySurreyCR8 2NEt: 020 8660 2843w: www.kccltd.come: glenn.fl [email protected]: Mr Glenn Flint Head of Strategic Development

LUX AssureUnit 20, James Gregory CentreAberdeen Innovation Park, Campus 2,Balgownie Drive, Bridge of Don,AberdeenAB22 8GUt: 0131 516 7290w: www.luxassure.come: [email protected]: Miss Gillian Macdonald Operations Administrator

MacGregor GBR Ltd11b Peterseat DriveAltens Industrial EstateAberdeenAB12 3HTt: 01224 347050w: www.macgregor.come: [email protected]: Mr Christopher Byles Off shore Financial Controller

Oil and Gas Services LtdPhotography18 Cove Gardens CoveAberdeenAB12 3QRt: 07922 722743w: www.petrorix.come: [email protected]: Mr Ibukun Obe Director

Petrorix Oil and Gas Services Ltd18 Cove GardensCoveAberdeenAB12 3QRt: 07922 722743w: www.petrorix.come: [email protected]: Mr Ibukun Obe Director

Project Scotland20 Hopetoun StreetEdinburghEH7 4GHt: 0131 226 0772w: www.projectscotland.co.uke: [email protected]: Mr Paul Reddish Chief Executive

Robert M DonaldsonThe HarlandsAlloaFK10 1TBt: 01259 219362w: www.rmduk.come: [email protected]: Mr Gavin Maxwell Managing Director

SafetyGrip SolutionsUnit 1 Cairnrobin PipeyardMarywellPortlethenAberdeenAB12 4SBt: 01224 784700w: www.safetygripsolutions.come: [email protected]: Mr Mark Watt Operations

Top-Co Cementing Products UKw: www.top-co.cae: [email protected]: Mr Luke Campbell Managing Director

Trac Oil & Gas LtdThistle RoadDyceAberdeenAB21 0NNt: 01224 725800w: www.tracoilandgas.come: [email protected]: Mr Sam Peacock Business Development Coordinator

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3September 2014 BUSINESS BULLETIN

CHAM

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Bob CollierChief Executive

Yes? No? Maybe?

YOU cannot fail to notice the signs springing up around the city and shire proclaiming Yes or No Thanks as we approach the referendum on September 18.

However, there are no signs that I have seen which say Maybe or None of the above or even Straight Answers Please. It is not surprising, perhaps, that undecided voters would not want to advertise their lack of certainty to their neighbours. The only choices available to them are to vote yes, to vote no or not to vote at all.

The truth of the matter is that 10- 20% of voters say that they are still undecided according to the polls with one month to go at the time of writing. The campaign managers are acutely aware that this group will determine the result.

We have come to the conclusion at the Chamber that a lot more than 10-20% of voters, and perhaps as much as half of them, could be classed as undecided, confused, none of the above, or unimpressed.

These votes are soft and the voters are asking themselves questions which are not on the ballot paper: How do you vote in the referendum if you want further devolution better defi ned before you vote for it? or, What about other options such as a federal system in the UK?

These voters might be described as Yes but or No but as well as Dont know, and think they are badly served by our adversarial political system just listen to the boos from the audience in the fi rst TV debate between Alex Salmond and Alastair Darling.

Our research confi rms that nearly two-thirds (63%) of members of the Chamber are disappointed with the quality of the campaigns, ranking them poor or dismal.

De nitely!

There is at least one defi nite victory from the debate step forward the citizens of Scotland.

A re-awakened engagement with politics from ordinary people is one of the great bonuses of the referendum debate for all of us. It has reminded us that we lead and our political representatives follow and not the other way round as we thought.

You might say that the voter has rediscovered their power. Politicians should take note.

This might be the point when experienced business people and good people from civic Scotland start to off er themselves for public service so that we are no longer burdened with politicians who are all professional policy wonks who have never run a whelk stall. Step forward members of the Chamber?

What next?

A recent meeting with some senior members of the Chamber identifi ed growing concerns about September 19 rather than the 18th.

At least one campaign is going to be disappointed with the result.

Words and phrases used by this group to describe the two campaigns to date included: frustrating, predictable, lack of vision, and dissatisfi ed.

The group identifi ed a clear role for the Chamber after the result, including: making sure that the North-east doesnt fall off the agenda of the winners; securing advantage for the region from the new political reality (whatever it is); helping everyone to normalise after the event; and most importantly ensuring that business and enterprise feature highly in the planning and design of Scotland, either as an independent nation or with enhanced devolution.

Your Chamber will need your help.

Interesting times?

Bob CollierChief Executive

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Chartered accountant and business adviser Johnston Carmichael has appointed Douglas Baxter as head of landed estates.

Based in the fi rms Perth o ce, Douglas joined Johnston Carmichael as a director earlier this year.

Subsea engineering and project management specialist CSL has made three key appointments to support the company as it enters a new fi ve-year phase of growth and development.

Jonathan Lindsay, who joined CSL in April as head of engineering, has taken on the management of the companys operations. Jonathan has been building the engineering team over the past three months and has recruited fi ve new members to work on three major projects being executed by CSLs parent company DOF Subsea.

His expanded role will see

him take responsibility for the daily operation of CSL and he will lead the growth plans laid out in CSLs business strategy.

Sarah Hutcheon, project services manager, will head up the Resourcing and Specialist Subsea Services teams

Neil Caird has been appointed head of consultancy.

FALCK Safety Services, which has 30 training centres around the world including three UK centres in Aberdeen and Teesside, has appointed Mike Eriksen as business development director, while Nick Hobdey joins the Teesside base as HR Manager.

Falck, which was fi rst launched in Teesside in 1994, and fi ve years later in Aberdeen, has strong expertise servicing the global oil and gas, shipping, renewable energy, military and aviation industries.

Blaze Manufacturing Solutions has appointed Cara Beamish as business manager, and Bill Cunningham as the general manager of the safety critical systems division.

Blaze, which was launched in 2006, works with major oil and gas operators to design and supply fi re protection systems and loss prevention services.

The company recently invested half a million pounds in new headquarters at Laurencekirk Business Park and the fi rm also has an engineering o ce in Kemnay, Aberdeenshire, as well as o ces in Great Yarmouth and Milton Keynes.

Ryden has recruited project management expert Craig Tennant as a partner. Most recently a director with Currie & Brown, Craig has 20 years experience of managing major development and infrastructure projects across the UK and Africa.

Craig will be based between Glasgow and Aberdeen initially and will work across both Scotland and England.

Also joining the group from DTZ is a new associate David Lindsay who will be based in Edinburgh. Newly promoted associate Patrick Kilbane has moved from Aberdeen to Dundee, off ering a dedicated project and building consultancy service in that region.

Energy industry service company Fisher Off shore, part of James Fisher and Sons plc, has appointed a new managing director to lead the business as it prepares for the next phase of an ambitious strategy.

Jack Davidson has been promoted from the role of operations director to lead the business as it prepares for the next phase of an ambitious strategy.

With extensive experience in the oil and gas sector, he has played an important part in driving Fisher Off shore forward and implementing an integrated service off ering since joining the company in 2012.

Borland Insurance has appointed Stuart George as commercial insurance account executive.

Stuart brings more than 17 years of experience to the role, having previously working at various large insurance broking fi rms in Edinburgh and Fife.

He will be responsible for the continued growth of Borlands operations in Edinburgh, Fife, Aberdeen and the Central Belt.

Chief Executive of Borland Insurance, John Silcock said: Stuarts high level of industry experience will complement our future growth, whilst also allowing us to further enhance our service off ering for existing clients.

As one of Scotlands leading independent insurance brokers, this is a further demonstration of our commitment to the Scottish marketplace.

Amanda McCulloch

Managing Director

[email protected]

By engaging with Thorpe Molloy Executive youll be working with people who are experts in identifying leadership talent and who are committed to delivering the optimum search and selection service for senior management, board director and non-executive director roles. We understand that executive selection is not a black and white process, but your decision to engage us should be.

Douglas Baxter

Jonathan Lindsay, Neil Caird and Sarah Hutcheon

Jack Davidson

Stuart George

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Business Bulletin September 2014

The Chamber is happy to publicise the services and products of member organisations, but cannot be held liable for any loss sustained by members using any of the services advertised.

We want to thank our Premier Partners for their continued support of your Chamber. Please contact Liam Smyth, Membership Director, at [email protected] if you would like to learn more about this exclusive level of membership.

PREMIER PARTNERS


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FEATURESCONFIDENCE IN CONFERENCESCitys eff orts to maximise the conference market

COVER FEATURENick Nairn on the charms of Aberdeen

FEMALE ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEARInterview with Brenda Bryant

REGULARSVIEWPOINTInteresting times?

POLICY UPDATEThis months news from your Policy unit

HOT TOPICWhat is your favourite dish to cook?

ON THE MOVEA guide to who is going places

EVENTSCHAMBER EVENTS PHOTO DIARYMeet the Leader with First Minister Alex Salmond

CHAMBER DIARYAll the Chamber events listings

IN FOCUS

12Cover feature

06Con dence in conferences

22Female entrepreneur of the year

CONTENTS

B14009

Aberdeen & GrampianChamber of Commerce

The Hub, Exploration DriveAberdeen Energy Park

Bridge of DonAberdeen, AB23 8GX

t: 01224 343900f: 01224 343943

e: [email protected]: www.agcc.co.uk

A liated Chambers:

Caithness & Moray

President:Alec Carstairs

t: 01224 343911e: [email protected]

Editor:Joanna Fraser


News Features:Graeme Smith Media

t: 01224 275833

Advertising:Lori Smith


Membership:Fiona Fernie

t: 01224 343931e: fi [email protected]

Membership:Mary Holland


Membership:Seona Shand


Membership:Roul Wood


Printed by:DC Thomson

t: 01224 343479w: www.dcthomson.co.uk

e: [email protected]

Cover image: Nick Nairn


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THE value of conferences to Aberdeen is highlighted by the fact that just three being held next month at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre will be worth more than 2.7million to the city.

City has conference market in its sightsAt the beginning of October, around 150 delegates will attend the two-day Scottish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association Annual Conference which, industry-accepted figures suggest, will be worth 154,800 to the local economy.

Three weeks later, an estimated 1,400 delegates will be in Aberdeen for the three-day Low Carbon Networks and Innovation Conference worth around 2,167,200. The month will end with a 427,350 boost from the 350 attending the International Hydrographic Society conference over three days.

There are two key strands to the conference business which Aberdeen attracts - the energy sector and the two universities - and VisitAberdeen is seeking to attract more conferences and extend them to allow delegates to enjoy the areas cultural attractions.

A decision is anticipated before the end of this year on the viability of the business plan for a proposed new 175million conference centre close to Aberdeen International Airport which would have a major impact on the citys ability to attract conferences.

Ambassadors - academics who live and work in the city - are vital to help increase the number of national and international association conferences being held in Aberdeen City and Shire. Aberdeen has one of the longest running ambassador programmes in the country and it has just been revitalised with the launch of TeamAberdeen.

This is a collaboration between VisitAberdeen, the University of Aberdeen, Robert Gordon University and Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.

VisitAberdeens role is to support the ambassadors in bringing their association conference to Aberdeen, said marketing director Peter Medley.

We could be talking some years in advance as the majority of these conferences are planning four, five or six years ahead.

Once the conference has been secured, VisitAberdeens role is to support the organisers in areas such as securing accommodation with allocations and rates and helping with the social programme, which could be dinners out at castles and partner programmes if their

partners are accompanying them.

The support ambassadors are offered can include bid preparation and presentation; venue searches; fully supported site visits; budget provision; sourcing full professional conference organising services; secure online accommodation service; visitor information; and an introduction to industry partners.

We are also trying to extend conferences, he said. If they are held during the week we try to extend them into the weekend so delegates have a chance to see more of the region and the opportunity perhaps to visit castles and whisky distilleries.

He explained that during the recession, partner programmes

We ... recently had the Scottish Lib Dem conference which was so successful they are coming back to Aberdeen next year

Peter Medley, VisitAberdeen

I understand how a poor lunch or sand wich can ruin a dayAS A former manager in the National Health Service, Lorraine Smith who owns and runs Thistle Catering Services has attended a number of conferences.

Conferences are a significant part of her business, not just because she is contracted to provide the food for many of them, but because of the opportunities they offer to showcase the quality of food and service her company provides and also as a chance to network and attract new business.

The company, now 14 years old, provides catering for everything from major energy events to weddings and from buffets to barbecues but conferences feature in the schedule every month.

We did all the catering for the Aberdeen City and Shire Pavilion at All Energy for three years and as that was for more than 200 exhibitors it was tremendous exposure.

My background experience is in management in the NHS and in that role I attended conferences so I have

experience of both sides. I understand how a poor lunch or sandwiches can ruin a day, no matter how good the conference is, so we try to make the food at every event memorable.

Conferences may not necessarily be the most lucrative contracts but they present us with an opportunity to sell ourselves and they invariably lead to significant follow-on business.

As well as corporate business, individuals who attend may later have a family do whether a wedding, christening, a birthday or a Christmas party and remember us from the conferences and decide to use.

We also work closely with the universities and just a few days ago catered for an international conference at the Art Gallery.

There were delegates from all over the world including a number of Americans so we had a Scottish theme with haggis, Balmoral chicken and locally landed fish.

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City has conference market in its sights

had become far less common but they were now working to try to reverse that trend.

Andrew Pratt, business tourism executive at VisitAberdeen, said they aimed for business which has a specific reason to come to Aberdeen.

For example, we are going after associations which are oil and gas related or in a medical sector in which we have a key academic or a key researcher based at a university or in

the hospital. That gives us an edge when we are going up against other cities.

He said it was also important to be realistic and not aim for conferences with 20,000 delegates, for example, which they could not cope with.

However we still look at them with a view to perhaps

I understand how a poor lunch or sand wich can ruin a day

continued over the page

A-LINE is another Aberdeen company which relies on conference-related business for a significant proportion of its revenue.

It has been providing audio-visual event support throughout the UK for almost quarter of a century and owner Richard Trilk said around 60% of its work is conference-related.

We offer everything from a full-service package for a major event to a small package providing a projector, screen and the microphone, he said.

We support small conferences involving a handful of people right up to major conferences at venues like AECC with hundreds of delegates.

The more conferences there are in the city, the busier we are because we have good relationships with the venues and they put us forward to the clients.

As well as conferences we do dinner dances, awards events and AV sales and hire and production.

Creating a reputationWe frequently feature local Scottish produce at conferences or product launches when visitors travel from outwith the area.

Lorraine Smith of Thistle Catering


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38317 - Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Business Bulletin September - 02_Sec02-16pp - 26/08/2014 - 12:35:08 - Black 38317 - Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Business Bulletin September - 02_Sec02-16pp - 26/08/2014 - 12:35:08 - Cyan 38317 - Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Business Bulletin September - 02_Sec02-16pp - 26/08/2014 - 12:35:08 - Magenta 38317 - Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Business Bulletin September - 02_Sec02-16pp - 26/08/2014 - 12:35:08 - YellowFront 2

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continued from previous pageattracting their European regional meetings, British meetings or Scottish meetings.

Peter said they also obviously focused on energy-related conferences for which Aberdeen was a fi tting venue but because of the high demand for accommodation during the week that could sometimes be challenging.

We have a good availability of hotel accommodation at weekends so we are looking at attracting weekend conferences and recently we had the Scottish Lib Dem conference which was so successful they are coming back to Aberdeen next year. It can be a challenge during the week because at the moment we dont have su cient hotel accommodation but that is changing with a number of new hotels that are planned or being built.

Five years ago, when I was a hotelier they were planning 1,500 bedrooms and we thought Do we really need 1500 bedrooms. They have now been built and there is still a shortage of accommodation.

The additional 1,400 planned bedrooms will help tremendously, particularly with the new convention centre being planned to open in 2017 and eff ectively doubling our conference and event capacity.

There will also be two business parks at the airport and a minimum of seven hotels by the end of 2016, coupled with the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route which will run close by so the infrastructure for selling the city for conferences is going to be much more attractive and will restore our competitive edge.

Things are defi nitely looking optimistic and falling into place which will make attracting conferences an easier task in the future.

CONFERENCES and events provide signifi cant business to First Aberdeen, according to managing director Duncan Cameron.

Aberdeen is known around the globe as the oil capital of Europe.

However, at First Aberdeen, weve noticed that the city is gaining an increasing reputation for its events and conferences.

The Scottish Open, for example, was fantastic and we were delighted that our park-and-ride services proved so popular, moving thousands of spectators and helping ease congestion around the Bridge of Don.

All Energy is another big date in our diary, indeed this year it was particularly high profi le for us, not just because of our shuttle services, but because we had on public display for the fi rst time our hydrogen buses

which are scheduled to hit the streets in November.

At Off shore Europe, our coach hire branch is fully booked - its almost impossible to hire a coach during that week.

In fact at Off shore Europe 2013 we witnessed a level of demand higher even than requests for coaches by Dons fans looking for Cup Final transport earlier this year!

The AECC is attracting some fi rst-rate performers and weve noticed that our Gig N Go services, which transport customers back into the city centre immediately after evening events ahead of the car park queues, is growing ever more popular.

There are numerous other smaller events that we support, like the Denis Law tournament, Aberdeen International Youth Festival, and indeed it was our coaches which transported the Cameroon Commonwealth Games squad whilst in Aberdeen.

Passenger numbers are increasing on our regular services, so too is demand for our coaches.

I think part of this demand refl ects the buoyant Aberdeen economy and the growing list of successful conferences and events that the city is hosting.

Logistical challenges in keeping delegates movingAt First Aberdeen, weve noticed that the city is gaining an increasing reputation for its events and conferences

Duncan Cameron, First Aberdeen

International fi sheries conference at AECC in 2016THE International Institute of Fisheries Economics & Trade (IIFET) and its 2016 conference organiser the UKs Sea Fish Industry Authority have chosen AECC as the venue for the IIFET Conference in July 2016.

The conference is expected to attract around 350 international delegates to the city.

It focuses on topical economic and industry issues including the economics of fi shery management, seafood markets and trade, development and aquaculture; providing delegates with a high level of intensive interaction delivered by globally renowned experts.

The conference - held this year in Brisbane, Australia - was secured through Team Aberdeen partnership working; an approach which brings together businesses and organisations on both a local and national level to bring events to the region.

Stakeholders involved in bringing the IIFET Conference to AECC and Aberdeen include Aberdeenshire Council, Seafi sh, University of Stirling, University of Aberdeen, VisitAberdeen and VisitScotland.

The conference was awarded subvention funding through Aberdeenshire Council and match-funded by VisitScotland.

Growth in turnover has led to the development of a new, larger AECC due to be fi nished in 2017

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Meet the Leader event with Alex Salmond on July 11

Liz Cameron of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, Alex Salmond and AGCC president Alec Carstairs Kevin Norrie of Hilton Instruments

Alex mingles with Sarah Dawson and Fiona Watson of AbsafeKen Wright of Wright Associates asks a question

The First Minister chats to Carolyn Maniukiewicz John Rahtz of Grampian Transport Museum makes his point

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INDEPENDENT energy consultancy ADIL has secured a contract with Centrica Energy to support the development and implementation of an operational excellence programme which will allow the operator to maximise output from its North Sea assets.

ADIL will provide project management resources and support to Centrica in the delivery of a programme across the Central and Northern North Sea, Southern North Sea, Morecambe Bay and the Netherlands regions.

3SUN Group, a specialist provider of products and services to the global energy industry, has been awarded a marine operations and management contract by Statoil, worth 1million.

The six-month contract is based within the Outer Harbour of East Port, Great Yarmouth, and marks the fi rst time 3sun Group has worked with Statoil and supported on a major project for the marine sector.

3sun Group will take a lead role on the project, assembling anodes onto specialist frames designed to be used to transport assemblies off shore for deployment to the seabed around each of the 88 wind turbine foundations on the Sheringham Shoal wind farm, located 21km off the North Norfolk coast.

GLOBAL automated solutions provider Rockwell Automation has secured a 2.5million contract with a major North Sea operator.

A team of around eight engineers will supply control, ESD (Emergency Shutdown System) and fi re and gas systems to cover an additional module on a platform in the North Sea.

The Rockwell Automation Aberdeen operation, based at Bridge of Dons Science and Technology Park, has three main strands - support and maintenance, projects and engineering design services.

AGRS Aberdeen-based team has been awarded a contract to provide well project management services to Dallas-based Hunt Oil for the drilling of one exploration well plus one future option well located in off shore Benin.

AGRs Perth, Australia team has recently completed the drilling for Hunt Oil of one exploration well located off shore north Western Australia.

ADD energy asset and integrity management has secured two contracts with Shell. The company has been awarded a new contract with Shell Gabon to manage assets in their Gamba fi eld in South Gabon and a project for Shell Canadas Albian Sands project.

For all members news please go to:www.agcc.co.uk

Send your news to [email protected]

News in brief

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Ian Sharp, Director, Norco Group LtdWhich of your company values means most to you?

Our company originated from a small department set up within the Northern Co-operative society (trading with the name Norco) in order to supply the traction batteries required in the many milk fl oats and the growing number of fork trucks operation in our stores and warehouses.

We fi rst started on April 1, 1982 but unfortunately by 1992 the Co-op was in di culty. A management team was set up to carry out a management buy-out which carried on until 2002 when the company was restructured in order to support the oil industry and the company was renamed Norco Group Ltd.

I believe that the many loyal and credible companies we have been successfully able to trade with for so many years is a confi rmation of our values of honesty and trust have stood us in good stead throughout the UK and a variety mix of industries.

What is the most unusual piece of business your company has won?

Over the years. we have been faced with many problems which we are proud to say that we have found solutions for, but there are a couple of exceptional pieces of business we have been involved in.

One was when we hired batteries to the company tunnelling the railways used to transport the athletes during the 2012 Olympics.It was also our own rental batteries which powered the mini-sub used to try and rescue the Russian nuclear submarine The Kursk which was stranded on the seabed in 2000 with 120 Russian seamen on board.

if you could change one thing in terms of your business environment, what would it be?

If I could, I would have preferred to concentrate on providing unique solutions to specifi c problems.

However, the pressures on the company to concentrate on commercial performance has meant that we have spent nearly 30 years gaining the confi dence of banks and investors before we could aff ord ourselves the luxury of a research and development department. We can now aff ord to invest in exciting and innovative

solutions to problems which are put to us, bringing us into a new and more vibrant period in the history of this company which should carry us many years into the future.

What is the biggest barrier to growth for your business at the moment?

Growth for us has never been a problem as we have had excellent fi nancial support from the Bank of Scotland over the years and we tend to have a greater call on our services over the years than we have been prepared for.

Operating out of the North-east of Scotland does create its own problems with shortage of highly skilled individuals but its the same for everyone and we have tended to recruit more recently from less active areas of the UK and Europe but the fact that we have a very low turnover of staff supports our belief that we are competitive in what we value our staff at and that we provide an existing environment in which to work.

Business lessons Ive

learned

Norco Group is an asset supply, support and management company with unrivalled experience

and expertise in the delivery of innovative solutions to support the demand for stored electrical energy across a

wide range of applications.

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I DONT WAIT FOR OPPORTUNITIES I CREATE THEM

AS A CHAMBERMEMBER IM WELLCONNECTED

If its the opportunity to network with like-minded business people, belonging to your local Accredited Chamber of Commerce means you are always well connected.

Visit www.agcc.co.uk to see how we can support your business.

#JOINYOURCHAMBER

Rachel Milne, General Manager of Dial-a-Community Bus


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Motive growthABERDEENSHIRE marine equipment specialist Motive Off shore has reached 100 employees in less than four years of business.

The equipment specialist which is headquartered in Boyndie, near Banff , was launched in 2010 by James Gregg, Dave Acton and Bob Smit and has grown its presence both in the UK and internationally with an additional two sites including a sales o ce in Aberdeen and an operational base in Stavanger, Norway launched at the end of last year.

The fi rm, which specialises in the manufacturing and rental of high capacity winches, umbilical deployment equipment and specialised subsea equipment will have invested in excess of 2million in its rental fl eet by the end of 2014.

Importance of buying localA NEW study has revealed that four out of fi ve small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Scotland believe it is important to buy local when it comes to purchasing goods and services.

The study was carried out by Signs Express, the UKs largest sign company, which has a franchise sign production centre in Aberdeen. Signs Express commissioned an independent research company to poll more than 1000 small and medium sized businesses in the UK. The results show that 80% of business decision makers in Scotland think its important to choose a local supplier when purchasing goods and services.

The top three reasons businesses gave for choosing local suppliers were:

It is better for the local economy (63%)

If I am unhappy, I can approach the supplier easily (60%)

I like dealing with people who play a positive role in my local community (40%)

The survey also revealed that the majority of those with purchasing power do not believe price is the most important factor when it comes to selecting a good supplier.

Altor acquisitionA NEW force in global health, safety, security, environment and risk management has been created following the acquisition of Altor Risk Group by Stirling Group.

The deal brings together both companies international expertise and more than 100 specialists in protecting organisations and staff through quality health and safety standards, and training that allows them to work safely around the world.

Stirling Group is headquartered in Dubai, UAE and Altor Risk Group specialises in managing major accident hazards.

Since its formation in 2010, the company has grown rapidly with operations in Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacifi c.

Angus Neil, managing director of Stirling Group, said: This is an exciting development for both companies which share the common vision of becoming industry leaders in protecting organisations operating in hazardous environments by managing risk and ensuring they can work safely and securely anywhere in the world.

ESS wins Dolphin contractESS Support Services Worldwide, part of Compass Group, has won a new, three year contract, worth 10.5 million, to provide hotel and catering services to Dolphin Drilling Ltd.

Aberdeen-based ESS has worked with Dolphin Drilling since 2007, delivering food and housekeeping services on board the Belford Dolphin.

Under this second contract ESS will provide catering and hotel services to 180 people across seven levels of accommodation on board Dolphin Drillings new deepwater drillship, the Bolette Dolphin.

Ronnie Kelman, Business Director for ESS Off shore, said; Due to our excellent performance onboard the Belford Dolphin and our long standing relationship with Dolphin Drilling, we are delighted that we have been awarded a contract providing catering and hotel services onboard the Bolette Dolphin.

We value our relationship with Dolphin and appreciate that they trust us to consistently deliver a quality service off er in a challenging environment.

Graeme Murray, Managing Director at Dolphin Drilling Ltd, commented; We selected ESS as our catering and support services partner for the Bolette Dolphin because we have an excellent relationship and they have proven their expertise with a stellar performance on the Belford Dolphin.

Chancellor visits Bibby

BIBBY Off shore, a subsea services provider to the oil and gas industry, hosted a visit by George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, to the companys workshop, storage and maintenance facility in Westhill.

The Chancellor was given a tour of Bibby Off shores new 50,000 sq ft facility, The Hangar.

George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer with Howard Woodcock, chief executive of Bibby Off shore

Bob Smit of Motive Off shore

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ACE investment in youthACE Winches has become the fi rst organisation ever to achieve the Investors in Young People (IIYP) accreditation.

It is the only people management standard that focuses on an employers recruitment and retention of young people, which launched this month in partnership with the Scottish Government.

The recognition comes as the companys ACE Winch Academy, which provides training for all aspects of winch and specialist lifting operations, grows on a global scale and the recent Wood Commission report highlights that there are 53,000 young people not in education, employment or training in Scotland.

The exclusive accreditation makes ACE Winches eligible to use and display the Investors in Young People logo and plaque, and enjoy its benefi ts including recruitment, development, retention and wider business enhancements.

Energy networking siteABERDEEN businesswoman Lesley Lewis has invested in the development and launch of an networking site for oil and gas companies and workers who want to build contacts in the energy sector.

Aberdeen Oil and Gas Network (AOAGN) is a community for members of the oil and gas, marine, power and energy industries.

The bespoke online site is a powerful tool for those who want to communicate with and expand their network of contacts.

Companies are able to showcase their products and services on the site and members can also post articles about current aff airs in the industry.

The AOAGN web page is at www.aberdeenoilandgasnetwork.com.

FCm expansionOIL and gas travel management specialist FCm Travel Solutions has expanded into new premises and hired four extra staff after securing additional clients worth 18million over the last year.

New business includes a three-year contract to provide full travel management services to KCA Deutag. FCms o ce in Germany has also been appointed to look after KCA Deutags drilling rig and oilfi eld equipment manufacturer, Bentec GmBH, which is situated in Bad Bentheim, and FCm Norway is servicing the companys operations in Bergen.

FCm Travel Solutions, which has been operating in Aberdeen for over 10 years, has taken over two fl oors of parent company Flight Centres new fl agship store on Union Street.

In addition to KCA Deutag, FCm in Aberdeen already provides specialist local travel and logistics management services to some 70 clients in the energy and marine sector.

Offer of Global InsightsACTIVPAYROLL, the Aberdeen based global payroll and tax specialist has launched a new service Global Insights, an online library providing an overview of 50 countries.

Each insight provides guidance on how to do business in specifi c parts of the world by outlining the current economic climate and off ering sections on payroll, tax, social security, employment law, visas and work permits.

It also provides payroll compliance key dates and statutory holiday calendars for clients who may be looking to operate or expand into multiple countries.

The online library is available at www.activpayroll.com/global-payroll.

Fleet investmentHAULAGE fi rm ARR Craib Transport Ltd will invest 4million in a fl eet of new environmentally-e cient vehicles this year.

The company has already invested 2.1million this year so far, adding 30 new trucks to its expanding task-force. The latest vehicles purchased by the company are the new Euro 6 - the most sophisticated and energy-e cient lorries on the road today.

The engine uses radical new technology to reduce the emissions of nitrogen oxides by approximately 90%.

ARR Craib chief executive o cer Eddie Anderson said: As a haulage company we take reducing our carbon footprint very seriously.

With this in mind, we invest in the best technology so that our vehicles are among the most energy e cient on the road.

From left, Callum Livingstone and Murray Smith, graduate engineers, Coleen Bowie, business modern apprentice and Fraser Anderson, graduate engineer.

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Cycle of discriminationTHE Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) will host a world-fi rst event in October to discuss the topic of workplace discriminatory challenges, specifi c to the oil and gas industry.

The Breaking the Cycle of DiscriminationWorkplace Challenges in the Oil and Gas Industry premier international workshop will feature a keynote address by Minister for Energy Fergus Ewing MSP followed by speakers from a number of major operating companies, service companies and industry bodies including Shell, ConocoPhillips, Total, Schlumberger, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Decom North Sea and Oil & Gas UK.

The presentations will discuss critical diversity and discrimination issues and highlight how non-technical skills are of equal importance to those of the technical job functions.

Registration is required before September 19 at http://www.spe.org/events/14aas2/pages/about/index.php

Wood Group office move

WOOD Group PSN has signed a long-term lease on a new build o ce within CityPark, one of the largest o ce developments in Aberdeen.

The move will enable the company to consolidate a number of its existing properties in the south side of the city and accommodate its employees in a highly sustainable, fi t-for-purpose o ce building.

The new CityPark o ce building to be located on Hareness Road, Altens, is to be available from late 2015.

The 215,000 sq ft o ce complex, to be built by HFD Property Group Ltd, will provide an enhanced working environment for approximately 1,900 employees.

It has been designed internally according to Wood Groups global design standards and is set to achieve an A rated energy e ciency status.

Dave Stewart, Wood Group PSN UKs managing director, said: This confi rms Wood Groups strong continuing commitment to support North Sea oil & gas activities as well as confi rming Aberdeen as its global headquarters.

As the North Sea sector moves into a more mature phase the new o ce will allow us to be more cost-eff ective and e cient, giving signifi cant benefi ts to both our customers and our employees.

Tourism awards returnAN AWARDS scheme which recognises exceptional tourism operators in the North-east is returning for a second year, with more opportunities to win.

The number of categories in the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards (ACSTA) has been increased to 15 from 12 and have been aligned to the national industry scheme, the Scottish Thistle Awards.

Awards organiser Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels Association (ACSHA) is appealing to businesses and individuals to enter and show how they do their bit to ensure visitors return home with fond memories of their time in the region.

Entries for ACSTA are now open at www.acsta.co.uk and will close on September 16.

Reserving judgmentHAVE you any idea of the worth to your company of employing someone who is in the Volunteer Reserve Forces?

Research by SaBRE and endorsed by the Chartered Management Institute, found that an employer would have to purchase over 8,000 of commercial civilian training to provide the same amount of development that an average Reservists military service provides in a year. This research relates only to the skills that are relevant to the civilian workplace.

Experience gained from an average period of mobilisation, including pre-deployment training, is worth around 8,300 for a Private, 14,600 for a Sergeant and 18,400 for an O cer. These statistics are astonishing but are virtually unknown by employers throughout both the public and the private sectors!

On Tuesday October 14 at 6.30pm in Gordon barracks, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, elements of the Reserve Forces will endeavor to show and tell you of their worth to their employer. This will be done by demonstrations with opportunities for employers to have a go at certain tasks.

New HQ for ParadigmPARADIGM Flow Services, the blockage removal expert for the oil and gas sector, has invested 4.25million in a new headquarters and test centre.

The company is taking a 15-year lease on Paradigm House in Drumoak from MacDonald Properties (Aberdeen) Ltd which will provide capacity for up to 80 people as it ramps up its international operations.

The new building comprises an 18,000 square foot o ce and workshop and 51,000 square foot yard housing an advanced test centre, providing scope for Paradigm Flow Services to develop and refurbish equipment under one roof.

These facilities for fi rewater deluge, subsea systems, specialist industrial cleaning and pressure testing will also be available for oil and gas companies for trials and training purposes.

An artists impression of the new Wood Group PSN site at Altens

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Acquiring a taste f or the Granite CityHis curiosity was aroused and he made a couple of trips to the Granite City, to which he had no real links, but regular customers had highlighted the fact the area enjoyed a completely different economy.

He decided there was potential and initially intended for the school to be part of a new development near Banchory, but first the recession and subsequent planning problems put paid to that idea.

Then I was walking through the city centre and I thought We could put a cook school here it would work, he said.

Just over two years ago Nick opened his second Cook School in Aberdeens Back Wynd.

I have to say we were very lucky and I dont think we realised quite how good a location it is when we took it over.

Its been a great business. It was a little bit slow at the start and one of the things we discovered about Aberdeen is if you sit back and wait for people to come through the door you may wait a while.

If you reach out, encourage people, network and invite people in to see your product and link up with other groups that all starts to work.

Part of that networking was a recent very successful evening for Chamber Premier Partners and their guests with Nick at which they were able to hear about his passion for all things good about Scottish food and cooking and sample some of the Scottish fare.

Aberdeen is quite a small place, like a big village where everyone knows everyone else, he said.

We are very well networked in Edinburgh and Glasgow and it was important for us as outsiders to break into some of those networks up here. I started spending more time in Aberdeen, met more people and began to do some events which went down well.

People like the fact that I spend time here and even just walking between the hotel and the Cook School people say Hi, hows it going? and Its good to see you and there has been a lot of encouragement.

Aberdeen has been very busy so on the back of that we opened my new restaurant Native at the Hilton Garden Inn.

That has had a slowish start because we went through a number of key chef changes but we now have our man and are building a new team and the concept will remain exactly the same with steaks and seafood and good North-east produce cooked sensitively.

We are starting to see the numbers rising and towards the second half of this year I will be putting quite a lot of time into the restaurant.

Nick is investing not only money but time and effort in Aberdeen.

I pretty much spend every Thursday and Friday in Aberdeen, he said. I drive up on a Thursday morning and home on a Friday night and if I am here, rather than sit at the bar, it is better to go and work in the restaurant or even just be on the

floor and because of that it has become quite personal.

My executive chef has spent a huge amount of time here and I am much more hands-on than I would normally be

in a restaurant project.

So has he any more plans for Aberdeen?

Well you never know... he said. You see, Im already learning how to be an Aberdonian - playing my cards close to my chest.

There is a downside to Aberdeen as well which is recruitment and employment. Oil and gas inflate wages and we are seeing a 15%+ rise in house inflation.

I employ a lot of guys who wash pots and chop vegetables and are not getting paid a huge wage. By going offshore and working two weeks on and two weeks off they can double their wage.

Also, if you relocate people to Aberdeen as we have done, we have to find accommodation and that is not easy.

Aberdeen is not as easy as it might look from the outside. The customer base is there but there are other issues in

servicing that market. However what we have found is that once you win the hearts of the Aberdeen community they are extraordinarily generous and very supportive.

He is passionate about Scotlands natural larder and said that Aberdeen is spoiled

for choice with fish from the biggest fish market, game from the hills, amazing beef, amazing lamb and great salads and great crops.

He believes North-east folk have a better appreciation of food than they do in other parts of the country but has a burning ambition to make all Scots enthusiastic about the wonderful produce that surrounds them.

It is for that reason he is at the heart of the Scottish Food Family, which campaigns to improve the Scottish

RESTAURATEUR, celebrity chef and food campaigner Nick Nairn admits that opening a cook school in Aberdeen had never really been in his plans until it became clear that a disproportionate number of people from the area were travelling to his Port of Menteith base to learn new skills.

Aberdeen is not as easy as it might look from the outside. The customer base is there but there are other issues in servicing that market

One of the best diets you can put people on is to say dont eat any processed food eat whatever you like but you have to cook it yourself

Nick Nairn ... once you win the hearts of the Aberdeen community, they are extraordinarily generous and very supportive


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Acquiring a taste f or the Granite City

relationship with food through better school meals and food education.

The Scottish Food Family has one very simple remit - to gather together like-minded people who feel that in Scotland we could do better and we could have a better relationship with food.

Trying to change that is a very complex and time consuming thing but first of all, if we are going to move forward, we have to admit that we could do better. This is the thing I have come up against time and time again - people say Its not that bad, school meals are not that bad and its all getting better.

In many respects it is, but the pace of change is too slow for me when I look at what happens in Spain, Italy and France where they just have a much better relationship with food and as a result of that their lives are much richer. In Scotland we have a huge potential time bomb terms in terms of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, diet-related cancers and allergies as well, because our diet is not brilliant and we need to address that.

He is urging everyone to join up to the Scottish Food Family.

All you have to do is log on and follow us on the website www.scottishfoodfamily.co.uk. We are not going to ask you to do anything and we are going to pass your name on to anyone else.

I just need to be able to go back to the Scottish government and say Look Im not a lone voice we have thousands of people who think this is a great thing, something they believe in and something you have to take more seriously.

The government needs to put a bit more money towards promotion of a better relationship with food whether its through healthy eating, provision of school meals or through the food education in schools and indeed nurseries and antenatal clinics all of these things - they just have to take it more seriously.

We need to be able to teach people to cook. If you cant cook then your destiny, your health and well-being is in someone elses hands.

One of the best diets you can put people on is to say dont eat any processed food eat whatever you like but you have to cook it yourself and then you know whats going into it.

In the last 50 years, big business has been very happy to take cooking away from us and put it into the hands of the supermarkets and the fast food chains and as a result of that we are paying a big price in health, in our relationship with food and in the legacy we give to children.

I pretty much spend every Thursday and Friday in Aberdeen

Nick Nairn ... once you win the hearts of the Aberdeen community, they are extraordinarily generous and very supportive


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Rural businesses off ered IT supportARE you a rural SME looking to improve your use of IT? The improvement could be to support any one of a number of business requirements e.g. introducing remote working, developing online ordering, managing your customer data, improving your social media presence. If so, there may be help at hand.

Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Chambers of Commerce are together launching the CREATE programme which will provide rural businesses with advice on how they can make better use of IT to develop and grow.

Rural areas typically have poor access to broadband, an issue which is being progressively tackled through the Scottish Governments Digital Scotland programme.

Evidence shows that even where eff ective connectivity is available, the take up and exploitation of the service is poor, resulting in signifi cant benefi t to businesses remaining unrealised.

The CREATE programme is therefore running in parallel with the implementation of Superfast Broadband across Scotlands rural communities to encourage businesses to use technology eff ectively. If the timing of the CREATE programme coincides with broadband improvements within your area, what

better time to access advice on how this improved technology can be harnessed to best eff ect?

The CREATE programme will off er SMEs the following funded services:

An independent review session with an IT advisor. Advisors have been selected from recognised IT support businesses across Scotland.

The development of a tailored action plan explaining how IT improvements could best support your business.

Access to training materials

Access to technology to enable testing

What defi nes rural within this programme?

Businesses outside of the four cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee are eligible to register.

The Scottish programme is part of a wider support programme being delivered across Europe.

An added benefi t for business is the potential to engage with similar businesses / suppliers across the continent through a common register.

The Aberdeen and Grampian IT advisors are Philippa Nicholson and Jim McCurrach and there are limited spaces on the programme, which is running between June 2014 and June 2015.

If you wish to register interest, or would like further information, please email Louise Ramsay [email protected]

Jim McCurrach Philippa Nicholson

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September Business Bulletin 2014

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Transcript of September Business Bulletin 2014